Signs in John's Gospel - The Lamp Broadcast
Signs in John's Gospel - The Lamp Broadcast
Signs in John's Gospel - The Lamp Broadcast
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<strong>The</strong> Wedd<strong>in</strong>g Festivities 61<br />
6<br />
<strong>The</strong> Wedd<strong>in</strong>g Festivities<br />
And the third day there was a marriage <strong>in</strong> Cana of Galilee;<br />
and the mother of Jesus was there:<br />
And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage.<br />
And when they wanted w<strong>in</strong>e, the mother of Jesus saith<br />
unto him, <strong>The</strong>y have no w<strong>in</strong>e…<br />
And there were set there six waterpots of stone…<br />
Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And<br />
they filled them up to the brim.<br />
And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the<br />
governor of the feast. And they bare it.<br />
When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was<br />
made w<strong>in</strong>e…<br />
…thou hast kept the good w<strong>in</strong>e until now<br />
This beg<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g of miracles [‘signs’] did Jesus <strong>in</strong> Cana of<br />
Galilee… (John 2:1-3, 6a, 7-9a, 10b, 11a).<br />
Christ’s performance of a miraculous work at a wedd<strong>in</strong>g festival<br />
<strong>in</strong> Cana of Galilee forms the first of eight signs recorded <strong>in</strong><br />
John’s gospel. <strong>The</strong>se signs, both at the time they were performed<br />
(dur<strong>in</strong>g Christ’s earthly m<strong>in</strong>istry) and at the time they were later<br />
recorded by John (dur<strong>in</strong>g the subsequent Acts period), had to do<br />
with a s<strong>in</strong>gular purpose. <strong>The</strong>se signs were orig<strong>in</strong>ally performed and<br />
later recorded <strong>in</strong> order to br<strong>in</strong>g about belief among those requir<strong>in</strong>g a<br />
sign, among the Jewish people (John 20:30, 31; I Cor. 1:22).<br />
<strong>The</strong>se signs, hav<strong>in</strong>g to do with the Jewish people, were performed<br />
<strong>in</strong> connection with a message. And this message — <strong>in</strong>troduced by<br />
the forerunner of the Messiah, John the Baptist — had to do with<br />
a call for national repentance, with a view to the k<strong>in</strong>gdom.<br />
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